A Long Awaited Outcome

L'Image will soon reopen.

On Saturday 23 April we learnt that l'Image Restaurant, on the market square in Preuilly, has finally been sold and the handover was 2 May. The new owners are our friends Matthieu, Sihan and Manuela and their chef.

I was very struck by how happy Manuela seemed. Here she is talking to some customers.

Regular visitors and residents of Preuilly were shocked and saddened when the Chedozeau family left the restaurant several years ago, but they've gone on to make new lives for themselves, and Jean-Michel is well embedded as the school cantine chef with a whole new fanbase now. They were at l'Image on Saturday and looking on with equanimity.

This was a nice moment. Manuela hands a tray of food to Matthieu, while retired Michelin starred chef Jacky waits to try some. He loved it.

We are delighted to have the prospect of the dynamic team from Makan Kakis (top quality Asian takeaway dishes) and others, delivering tasty beautifully presented bar snacks (€5) from the end of May, and sometime not too far down the track, full restaurant meals priced at about €20.

 

Simon chose steak tartare, which he raved about.

Once the bar has been thoroughly cleaned and new beer taps installed, they'll be open for business. Services will be added as resources allow.

I chose perfectly cooked green asparagus dressed with faisselle (a local type of cottage cheese) and radishes. There was a little bit of chervil and a little bit of horseradish. The woman opposite me went back for seconds and we agreed it was delicious. I had an excellent Cour-Cheverny white with it.

Saturday 23 April was Preuilly's Foire Saint Georges, so the new restaurant team set up a stall and some tables on the footpath outside l'Image. They served snacks similar to what they are planning for the bar, and some excellent Loire Valley wines. Manuela referred to it as their very very soft opening.